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Regenerative Medicine

Two-photon polymerization of polyethylene glycol diacrylate scaffolds with riboflavin and triethanolamine used as a water-soluble photoinitiator

    Alexander K Nguyen

    JUNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Campus Box 7575, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7575, USA

    ,
    Shaun D Gittard

    Nanotechnology Department, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V., Hollerithallee 8, D-30419 Hannover, Germany

    ,
    Anastasia Koroleva

    Nanotechnology Department, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V., Hollerithallee 8, D-30419 Hannover, Germany

    ,
    Sabrina Schlie

    Nanotechnology Department, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V., Hollerithallee 8, D-30419 Hannover, Germany

    ,
    Arune Gaidukeviciute

    Nanotechnology Department, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V., Hollerithallee 8, D-30419 Hannover, Germany

    ,
    Boris N Chichkov

    Nanotechnology Department, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V., Hollerithallee 8, D-30419 Hannover, Germany

    &
    Roger J Narayan

    * Author for correspondence

    JUNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Campus Box 7575, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7575, USA.

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/rme.13.60

    Aim: In this study, the suitability of a mixture containing riboflavin (vitamin B2) and triethanolamine (TEOHA) as a novel biocompatible photoinitiator for two-photon polymerization (2PP) processing was investigated. Materials & methods: Polyethylene glycol diacrylate was crosslinked using Irgacure® 369, Irgacure 2959 or a riboflavin–TEOHA mixture; biocompatibility of the photopolymer extract solutions was subsequently assessed via endothelial cell proliferation assay, endothelial cell viability assay and single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. Use of a riboflavin–TEOHA mixture as a photoinitiator for 2PP processing of a tissue engineering scaffold and subsequent seeding of this scaffold with GM-7373 bovine aortic endothelial cells was also demonstrated. Results: The riboflavin–TEOHA mixture was found to produce much more biocompatible scaffolds than those produced with Irgacure 369 or Irgacure 2959. Conclusion: The results suggest that riboflavin is a promising component of photoinitiators for 2PP fabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds and other medically relevant structures (e.g., biomicroelectromechanical systems).

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: ▪ of interest ▪▪ of considerable interest

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